


Opened to Doubt

by nagaplz



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Female!Ori - Freeform, Genderbanding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-15
Updated: 2013-03-15
Packaged: 2017-12-05 08:21:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/720912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagaplz/pseuds/nagaplz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Dwalin was on an errand for Dis, had only agreed to it because he knew that if it was she that was caught with such information it would all end for the worse. What he doesn't believe is what he has gained from it all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Opened to Doubt

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’m a bit of a newcomer to the Tolkien world and I literally know nothing of it other than some character names and the movies (and also The Hobbit book).I’ve take a lot of artistic freedom so I also wish to apologize if you’re here hoping I have any clue as to what I’m doing, then I’m really sorry to disappoint because this story—like nearly all my other’s—was mainly intended to be a wank-fic for The Hobbit Kink meme. But that’s how it generally starts, right? I am merely being self-indulgent. 
> 
> Also I must apologize for my spelling and grammar. I try to read over my writing as much as I can, especially when I find that it’s going to be a bit longer than I originally thought but there is only so much I can do alone (or how much Microsoft Word can aid). 
> 
> I pretty much fell in love with Ori from the start of the movie, and then with Dwalin as I began to read some fanfiction with Ori (mainly he was a side character but whatever, got to get your fixes anyway you can, right?). Then I found some that turned Ori’s gender and I was ecstatic; I l o v e genderbending. All forms even. Not only in a M-T-F way (as I find that I have only written such stories) which my adored character becomes even more relatable by being the same gender as I, but a way to figure out and play with the customs and gender role differences. I think it says a lot about a person the way they write and their willingness to write a male character as female so I ask you to not be turned off or away when you come across such things in the future!
> 
> But, yeah, Ori is totally a feminist dwarf. And I suck ass at accents so I kind of gave up.
> 
> Also--oh god--I also apologize so much for my Americanisms. I cannot stress this enough that I really have no idea what I'm doing and I feel as if I've jumped off the deep end with this fic. But hopefully I'll eventually learn and get better!

“You are getting too old!” Kili taunted with a laugh at the older dwarfs faltering steps. His breathing was just as heavy and the holding of his sword fell in a slightly awkward position, again. Dwalin was more than certain he had taught the young princeling how to not let that sort of thing happen and greatly stressed the importance more times then was probably right for his own health. Let Kili deal with the broken wrist if such was the case he was getting into then if he would not listen.

He wasn’t using the sword properly anyway, instead of attacking he has been more or less relying on it as a means of defense and evasion. Which, given any other day Dwalin would say he was impressed with the boy’s slight creativity on using a weapon he was obviously no expert with, in a way that was sure to throw potential threats off for long enough to escape if need be; the lad was a fast one, Dwalin could give him that but that wasn’t enough skill for a royal in short line of the thrown as himself to get away with. 

“Kili,” he barked out the name rough and annoyed. “If ye’ wanted ta’ dance, I’m sure there’s more femmy teachers than I. Now fix your stance, boy, yer actin’ like a babe.” 

The smile fell from the boy’s face, a sharp and instantaneous reaction, replaced by a darker scowl that seemed to change the night’s air surrounding them and his grip tightened on the hilt to where his knuckles looked as if they’d pop. “Don’t call me that.”

The boy's teeth were clenched and the sword flipped in his hand to point forward at Dwalin’s chest. Dwalin just wanted to roll his eyes, he also remembers telling Kili that a trick like that was just that, a trick. That if he was in a real fight or battle, showing off as such was a sure way of getting yourself killed faster and bloodier. 

It was one of their first lessons actually, back when Kili's brother joined them regularly and back when they had all decided against letting Kili touch any of the real weapons least he actually take an entire arm off next go.

“What’s tha’ then?” Dwalin fought his own grin from appearing and relaxed his pose knowing with a slight guilt that Kili didn’t stand a chance even with the extra lessons and handicaps he was given. Thorin would not be impressed to hear, once again, that one of his nephews is complete rubbish with a sword. 

“I said, don’t call me that.” 

And an axe, Dwalin mentally ticked off the weapons, and hammer, club, pick and Dwalin didn’t really want to think of the times with the mace or flail. Those were really best left in the past and buried deep down. But he was sure the cooks and seamstresses weren't going to be doing any forgetting any time soon, even with as much as Kili had pleaded it was all an accident and had Dwalin backing his claim to the boy’s Uncle. 

Kili landed on his back roughly with a slight bounce and all the wind knocked from his lungs. He cursed darkly and didn’t move, defeat and anger radiating from him in waves. The sword Kili had in his hand laying flat in the dirt a couple yards away from them, looking just as worn and defeated as the younger dwarf. 

Dwalin let out a deep sigh, Kili was stubbornly not looking to him and Dwalin thought it time to make it the end of their training. Kili was trying, harder than anyone Dwalin knew or had ever had the opportunity to take up arms with but the lad was just not made for it. He was good enough to get by, knew the stances and the movements but always seem to falter when something new was added or his opponent did something unsuspecting. 

He wouldn't give up though, was more afraid of the disappointed looks from his Uncle that he admired so much but Dwalin had a sneaking suspicion it was more of the fear his brother would advance without him, go to a war or battle that Kili himself would not be allowed to follow as an equal. That was something Dwalin very much admired about the young lad and would continue to agree to be by the boys side every time he was asked to help in anyway. 

“You’re getting better.” Dwalin offered his hand in peace and Kili huffed, his smile slowly forming itself back onto his face. It was a comfort to know that the boy could bounce back just as fast. 

“You lie.” 

“Aye,” he agrees and laughs when Kili makes a unfavorable face. “But you are good at defending.”

The smile seems to lesson some, like the boy is both proud but yet doesn’t feel as if it is enough and Dwalin can understand such a feeling because he has once heard the same words too. 

Defending, as it was said, was just a step ahead of running away.  
\--  
Dwalin like to think of himself as a dwarf of simple pleasures; food to eat, a good day at the practice field and a bed for sleeping were what kept him going. Though, a warm body to help keep the bed warm every now and then was always a nice bonus. Which is to say would have been a nice addition to his day, since his talk with Thorin about Kili's miss comings with the weaponry hadn't gone well but as it was, Dwalin could never say no to Dis. 

Dis was a woman worthy of the Durin blood that ran through her, she had knowledge and a strong grace that no one in Dwalin's eyes could match. It was such a wonder that he had not fallen for her when they had first met all those decades ago, but he knows with a heavy heart that they would clash in more ways than they would be right. 

Though that didn't stop her from taking advantage of his services as a friend. 

"Dwalin," Dis greeted as she took a seat next to his and shooed away the young girl that he was hoping would let him take her to his bed. "I must ask you a quick favor."

Dwalin watched the raven haired beauty go with a tiny wave behind her and turn her faked but bright smile upon another. "Yes, I figured you might."

Dis snorted and waved her hand forward as if dismissing his unsaid acquisitions, "I need you to fetch me a book."

"I know that you don't approve of my tastes in--"

"You call them 'tastes'!" She snorted, "as if they are foods and not people who are willing for every spin from whoever from. No, my dear Dwalin, that is not called a 'taste' but an out-cry for your baser needs."

She had tried to get him to court a fair amount of her friends, even a few of her dress maids and while she is an expert at a great many things, he had let it be known that playing matchmaker has never been one. It never stopped her though from teasing and prying into his business every now and then. Specially if that business involved that of a residential strumpet.

She smiles easily at him and flicks at his cup, a thing no man would dare to do with him, "Now, about my book--"

"Aye, about this book." Dwalin broke off a piece of meat and chewed it slowly. "I'm sure you remember the way to the library. That is if yer still not in the need of an excuse--"

"Oh! Hush, hush!" She swats at him and misses, her cheeks stained a faint red but her laughter is loud and reminds him greatly of her youngest boy, Kili. "Thorin would never forgive me if he knew."

And that he wouldn't, not at first, the Durin men were stubborn things. Dis had wanted to be courted many a times by men both her father and brother did not see fit for her hand and had no trouble expressing their forbidding of it. Which didn't take Dis long to find ways around her families eyes so as to do and be as she wishes. 

"That he would too, but it would be a more pain on you when he gets to gloat that he was right. Bet ye' couldn't stand it." 

Dis sends him a look that has the laughter falling from him, and takes his time taking a long drink from his cup. She watches him from under her lashes and fiddles with one of the purple ribbons in her beard. 

So, Dwalin thinks carefully, this is serious. 

"What exactly would this book have in it?" He asks, leaning in closer to her. The voices and laughter around them were loud and distracting as was such the norm in the company of dwarves at dinner time but one couldn't be too careful at who else was using such things as to cloak their presence. 

"If I told you it was a private matter, would you not pry?" Dis asks hopefully, a hint of something Dwalin has never heard before.

"No." He says simply. He's seen many dwarves do the 'ask none, know none' route many times in his service and has seen the punishments come down greatly upon them regardless of such ignorance. It was a path he would never allow himself to take, especially when it seemed to trouble his friend so.

Dis sighs and leans back in her seat. "Aye, I thought as much."

Taking a deep breath, and Dwalin with her, Dis looked hesitant but leaned forward close and held her voice firm and loud enough for him to hear, "I would like to know more about certain customs of elves."

Dwalin's fists hit his plate in a loud clatter as he dropped them to the table in shock, "Are you mad!" 

Dis shushes him with a hand upon his own, "Please speak lower! I know this is... odd and yes, before you ask, it is what you are thinking. I--"

"How?" Dwalin could no longer hear the noises surrounding him. Dis, his sister in spirit was interested in an elf? If wasn't already being courted by one, by all the gold, he could feel his heart quicken at such trouble she could be getting herself in. It was old news of the kings anger towards the elves, it was something he himself agreed was a justifiable anger, as it was something he had lived to see and experience. War was a messy thing, no good came to those who fought in it but even less came from those that turned their back on it. 

Her brothers, nor her grandfather and father forgave the elves for that day and further more cursed their very existence from the ground. He was in little reassurance that if they so much as caught rumor of an elf and dwarf in courting there would be a reprimand given even if that rumor was of their own family member.  
\--  
The library, Dwalin finds, is just as intimidating as any living and breathing enemy. The doors are a faux security to what they hold beyond and he finds himself in a pause just taking in the sights of shelf upon shelf of books stacked in an order that would not make any sense if he hadn’t learned his decimals in his younger years. As he ventures in further he finds that the shelves grow both in size and age, some nearly touching the ceiling and branch sideways as if trees themselves; he has a vague nauseating moment of thought of getting lost and has to shake himself out of his stupor before he gets too worked up. 

It has been a great many years since he's had need to be in this place. It's changed from what he remembers and he supposes it should tell him something but he takes little comfort in the thought that within one of these books could be the solution to his problems. 

The feeling of dread has not left him after his talk with Dis and has in fact grown with each step he had taken away from her and led him here. He had more than a thought to talk her out of such foolishness, he knew he had obligations to the King as a royal guard and being Thorin's friend, Dwalin couldn't help but feel as if he was betraying his good friend and fellow warrior. But Dwalin knew deep down in his gut that if he wouldn't help Dis and be her support and ally, she would find other ways. And Dwalin didn't want to think of what those 'other ways' could have in store for his dear friend, especially when he wouldn't trust them with such a life as Dis's.

“I’m sorry but the head librarian is away.”

The voice, soft spoken as it was, took Dwalin by surprise and after looking around he’s half convinced he imaged the words and thinks himself going mad before he spots a younger dwarf nearly blending into the piles of books surrounding him and sitting by one of the larger fires lighting the room. He remembers the stories his mother use to tell him about those fires, not like those used for crafting or burning, she would tell him with a tilt of her lips. She always liked to tell stories.

Long ago a dwarf king had unknowingly gotten himself trapped in a pit of goblins, they had shred him from his belongings and killed his guards quickly and threw him into a cell waiting to be offered as dinner to their own king. In the cell where he was held he found an egg that glowed hot and bright, a dragon’s egg you see, his mother would titter out a laugh, gives off its own light and heat. The king knew he had but one chance to survive this night and so he set about to hatching the dragon. 

“And what are you then?” He asked the younger dwarf though it would seem his question fell on deaf ears and Dwalin clears his throat and waits for the other to acknowledge him as his due but the other did not so much as twitch from his book.

Dwalin grunts in frustration and kicks at a stack of books that was nearing the height of one of the medium size shelves, making the top half sway dangerously before falling over the floor with loud thumps. He chances a look over at the young dwarf to see if he has their attention now and finds with a surprise that the dwarf is already close to him and making angry clucking noises that Dwalin is sure if he could catch more than a mutter he would be greatly offended over.

“Excuse me!” The scribe says in a tight voice, “but please keep your manners about yourself, these are not to be treated as such!”

Dwalin rolls his eyes and seats himself upon a table top after pushing over some scrolls and ink, “And if ye’ were paying any more attention to me than that book of yours you’d of heard my question and have avoided this mess.”

For a small moment Dwalin is sure the other is going to get physical with him or at the very least shout again. Dwalin takes a moment in the other’s appearance, the short reddish-brown hair and beard plain with only a few braids adorning both. It wasn’t much and it was nothing fancy nor decorated and the knitted scarf and fingerless gloves that were frayed and obviously always worn and loved, Dwalin was more than certain the boy wouldn't be less of a challenge to him than Kili. 

“And if you were paying any more attention you’ve had heard me first say the head librarian is not present,” the scribe made another outraged noise as he finds one of the books lying on its pages. “And I see you have little respect for words so I can only imagine what brought you here.”

“I asked for yer name, lad.” He said roughly, choosing to ignore the other's tirade over a couple of bounded papers and watched as the other bristled nicely. If the books were as important as the lad was making them seem, Dwalin had no doubt then they shouldn't have been stacked on the stoned floor and instead should be placed on one of the many shelves in the back. 

“And I for your patience!”

Before Dwalin could remind himself that it was not fit to have it out with another in such a place he had found himself across the room and grabbing a fistful of the boys shirt and lifting him easily off the floor watching with amusement as the boys eyes widened further and the books he had managed to pick up and smooth the pages of, fall back lifeless to the floor. 

“You are stretching my patience,” Dwalin said, his voice low. He didn’t know how he had lost his temper so easily than ever before but felt better when the other dwarf's weak attempts at pushing his hands away from being so close to his throat. He chuckled lightly and let the boy fall from his grasp to stumble over his feet and the sudden change in position again so quickly, and moved himself away from the other least he really attempt to take the life from him.

The boy lifted his head, anger flashing over the his eyes and Dwalin was getting himself ready to remind the dim boy of his rank and status over the other, a scribe having such a nerve to talk like that to him. And not even a librarian type at that, but of a lower help, since the boy couldn't even be allowed to help those that walked into the Royal Library.

“Ori!” The shout came from the same area Dwalin himself had walked in just moments before and before Dwalin could look away he saw the flash of horror and servitude across the young one's face. 

"Master Librarian!" Ori squeaked, scrambling to pick up as many books as he could and stacking them in a new pile by the older one.

"What's this mess? I left you alone for mere moments child, and who is this?"

"Sorry! Sorry," Ori continued to scramble around for the books, flatting the pages when needed and dusting dirt off others. "He came in just moments before you, I have not yet gotten his name."

The Librarian frowned down at Ori with a way Dwalin was sure most grandparents saved for the most trying of children. His beard showed age and while it too was most simple (as most librarians were to be with their care for books over the care for fashion) it was respectably done with care of anther, a bride and children Dwalin supposes. From the braids and beards there were no obvious relation between the two, so the little one must be the hired help and from what Dwalin could see from looking around, a lousy one at that.

"Regardless of that you know how it seems to find you alone with another," the elder then turned his gaze upon him and Dwalin felt he was missing something important. Even more so when Ori made a loud disgruntled noise.

"There has been no such--" 

The older dwarf waved a hand, "I have no doubt in your ability to not make every male you are alone with a scandal but you know of what the other's are saying about you and this would not ease their words where they the ones who walked in and not I."

Ori seemed to deflate easily enough at that, all the fight leaving the younger with little ease and if by the stubborn set of the jaw was any indication there were a few choice words of his own he wished to say about the matter. 

“And how many times must I remind you to wear your ribbons! Dear child, you are going to give me death one day with your attitudes.” 

"Ribbons!" Dwalin barked in surprise, gaining the attentions of the two dwarves. One a scowl at his interruption to a conversation not for him and the other a quiet amusement that told of years and years of experience of such surprising things. 

The customs of wearing ribbons came from long ago, a trade from a village of humans, and were first worn by both gender parties; there were not many reasons for a dwarf to prefer tying their beard and hair back until, that is, one got them caught while working with the metals or mining tools. But later worn by mainly females dwarves as decoration, so that they could be told apart from the males and was later put to unwritten law so scandalous advantages couldn't be had. 

Dwalin looks over to where the young dwarf was reading when he had first happened upon the other and there it was, a common red ribbon peeking out from between the pages being used as a placeholder instead of on the lasses head where it belonged. Ripping his eyes away from the accessory, he returns his attention to the Master Librarian and the young lass.

"I apologize," he says immediately and nearly swallows his own tongue when the elder turns to him with a piercing quizzical look. 

"And what, Master Dwalin," there was a challenging spark in the eyes of the librarian as the unspoken name rolled off his tongue. "Would you be apologizing for?"

"Nothing!" Ori says, her arms waving around, "he apologizes for nothing as he has done exactly that."

The last of her words were said sharply and with a hint of finality on the subject but the elder dwarf was having nothing of that and shushed her with a grin and a pat to the head. He then looked at Dwalin and waved his hand in a motion that bid him to continue.

Dwalin then realizes his mistake in speaking so soon and vaguely, and has to swallow thickly before speaking again. "I may have gotten a little rough with the wee lass earlier."

The librarian looks surprised, the glow from the reading fires casting shadows around them as if the shadows themselves where in constant motion. Dwalin lets himself take a chance at looking at Ori now that he knows the truth and in such he now sees the oddities again in a new light, the short reddish-brown hair looking softer and while the braids still simple, they are more elegantly done so that they hair could not fall in her eyes as she works or reads. Her freckles over her cheeks and nose, and the knits she has adorned her hands and neck with look more comfortable and inviting instead of old and useless. 

The elder seems to consider his words carefully, taking his time looking upon both of them with a look Dwalin could feel in his bones. "And what do you say to that Miss Ori?"

Dwalin startles when the young woman turns her gaze upon him when his was already to her and watches in slight fascination as her mouth thins and her grip tightens around the books she still holds. 

"You only apologize to me because I am a woman," she says with slight worry as she flicks her gaze to the elder dwarf, not as a comfort Dwalin is surprised to note but as show of respect to let the librarian know she is about to be defiant. "So I don't see any reason to accept because you are a man."

He could feel his irritation and anger seeping back in through his veins, "Of course I apologize because you are a woman! What else would there be?"

Ori fiddles with the frayed end of one of her gloves, a nervous gesture but she doesn't look away from him as she speaks, "Because you were brash and a brute and had no respect for that which do not belong to you."

Dwalin is taken aback by her words and can feel another apology on the tip of his tongue but bites it back. The head librarian is looking at her fondly if a little desperately, like if the child had both impressed him and made him worry at the same time both in equal measures. 

A woman who spoke out when even men would rather cut their tongues, was always Dwlain's weakness. 

“I don’t think this is such a place for you to be mouthing off,” he says at last. Not knowing what else to say as he was against apologizing twice to anyone.

“Yes," Ori frowned. "Well, I find the library a place even less where a guard such as yourself should be found.”

Dwalin stared at the child’s retreating form, watching as she picked up the book she had been previously reading, the one with the faded red ribbon hanging from the front and walk further to the back where he lost her figure amongst the many piles of stacked books and shelves. 

"I offer you my own apologies, Master Dwalin, on her behalf as she is quite protective of the books here and doesn’t like to see them so,” the elder trails off while raising a thickly grown eyebrow at the floor still covered with books haphazardly. "Mistreated."

"I--" he starts, though Dwalin isn't sure what he would say. Admitting to the mess seems redundant and offering an apology of his own seems like it would be more awkward than helpful but he is saved from having to come up with something when the elder holds up his hand.

"No need, let's just... get you what you came for. I'm assured you are here for that special order from a mutual friend, yes?"

There's a slight twinkle in the older dwarfs eye and Dwalin has to wonder how much the librarian knows exactly and how much he is enabling such things. 

"Aye."

"Ah yes," the librarian looks him over, the upturn of his lips and fleeting flicker of his eyes to where the young scribe had walked off to didn't make Dwalin feel as if he was being any less then judged. "She did say you'd be looking a bit intimidating."  
\--  
When Dwalin was a younger dwarf his father had used a word around him that he didn't understand. It wasn't the first time but when asked, his father had told him the meaning and reference to which it came; his mother was none to impressed. It was like it was life changing, such a simple and small thing. To once a thing he was blinded to now was something he heard and seen nearly every place he seemed to be. 

That is to say, it was no different from meeting a new person you had not known of days before but now seem to be every place you looked. 

The young scribe was wearing her ribbons this time, at least. Dwalin grumbled over his meal as he watched as the girl take her seat next to what looked like her brothers across the room. For either one couldn't be her husband as they both did not seem as if they'd fit her. Not so much as he had thought of what or who would fit her as a proper husband but he knew at least one of the other dwarves smiling and laughing with her. Had thrown him in the cells once or twice more than what was seen as proper for any girl to want to twine themselves up with.

It's been closer to a month since he made his trip to the Royal Library and he was more than ready to put it all out of his head. Kili had even commented with a whine that he wasn't even pretending as if it was a challenge anymore for their lessons in the practice field. 

She couldn't have been that much older than Kili, now that he thought about it. She looked as if she had many more decades in age to come and he probably could be seen as a father to her than anything else. Such a fiery lass at a young age, he thought with a grin, already shouldering a war no one else saw fit to care for. Dis would love her.

"What's this," a voice filters through his ears. "What's that grin for?"

"Aye, and such a scary one at that. I think I prefer that of his sword then to have to see such a thing again!"

"Fili," he says with a sigh. "And Kili."

"Don't give us that!" Fili laughs nudging his brothers arm to look behind them in the direction to which Dwalin's own had been moments before. "We are here to save you from scaring away the pretty dwarves."

"Yes," Kili agrees as his eyes narrowing on Ori who was now laughing at something her brothers had said. "We know how much it is... you... oh! Dwalin! You manther!"

Dwalin chokes on his bread, "Hush your voice, boy! There is not such... tryst."

"Trysts, he says." Kili laughs stealing some potatoes from his brother's plate and offering some of his meat as thanks. The kid has always been a weird one. "Like if it wasn't already suspicious enough."

"True," Fili looks at him in a fashion that reminds him painfully of a younger, less blond Thorin. "He has been--"

Dwalin levels his bread knife at the two, it wasn't sharp or by any means threatening from just a passer-by looking in but he leveled it at the older ones throat. "I dare ya'."

Fili raises his hands in defeat while Kili laughs again without a care. 

"We didn't mean any offense," Fili looks behind him to where his brother promptly pointed out the suspected lady dwarf of Dwalin's attentions. "Just... curious."

Kili nods, "Yes, curious as to what has you in such a state as you have been in."

Dwalin silently vows to make their next practice together a brutal one. After he had handed the books to Dis, her flush and soft smile making the trip more than worth the effort, he had found that he was still worked up over the matter in the library. He was mainly appalled with himself for treating a lady dwarf in such a way but yet to have his apology so violently backhanded from him made him slightly... proud of the young Ori.

Which was mad as he has never met her before that day but he couldn't help but feel there was something there that he could admire, even if he still felt the want to cuff her upside the head. Yes, the sting of her words were still fresh upon him and it made him wish to make her eat them but unless the lass attacked him out right he knew there would be no reason for him to touch her.

"I have no idea where your thoughts have been--"

"And I yours!" Kili spits out, food shoved to one side of his mouth so he could both eat and talk. "You got yourself distracted that I nearly landed a hit to you."

"And," Fili pipes in. "We heard Uncle tell mother that you managed to forget your words when you were speaking with him." 

Fili smiled fondly at his brother's giggles and pushed more of his food on Kili's plate. 

"I did no such thing!" Dwalin argued, which wasn't exactly a lie. Not in the way the boys are thinking it to be. Well, not exactly by any right.

Thorin had come to him, as he did many times to discuss an arary of things mostly concerning the armed forces and weapons on which needed approving or testing. They had started out as normal, arguing over which would be better in battle; an axe or hammer. Thorin said neither, as a sword was more elegant and easier to handle, and Dwalin would argue that both was more appropriate over something as simple and dainty as any sword.

Then they would move on to the actual reason Thorin called him to be present, and at that time they were mainly discussing a new idea for a passage to be built and what advantages and disadvantages it would have on the safety of the mountain and its people. He was mid rant, opposing Thorin's ideas as just to get on his nerves at this point, when he had seen something red from the corner of his eye. 

He had turned to look almost immediately, his mind flashing to books and freckles and faded red ribbons, and he doesn't realize he had stopped talking until he sees that it isn't who he had thought it to be, just another worker with a red hair piece, and turns back to Thorin who was looking at him very curiously. 

A look which he made it his life's goal to never see again on his friends face. It wasn't like Dis's own where hers was opened with hope and fairytales. No, Thorin's told of manly sort of annoyance and acceptance. Like he knew of Dwalin's like of the attentions from the female kind and greatly thought it a handicap to his mind.

Dwalin had to later confess that he didn't know of which topic they were speaking of and cursed the young scribe for her unwanted intrusions. Thorin got in a jab at his ability to keep his mind focused off his prick for an evening which had then turned into a battle of who's technique was better and then had fallen to a discussion of piercings.

It wasn't exactly wise to get pierced when in a position such as he, such things could be grabbed and ripped out if fighting an enemy but it also wasn't unheard of. That is, it wasn't unheard of to have such a piercing in the nose or ear but Dwalin knew his was more of a one of a kind. An idea that he had taken from a human male in his much younger and rebellious years.

Dwalin took a chance to look over again at Ori and was slightly taken aback when he felt a bit sad that she had departed without his notice. Her brother's however, remained and were both glaring at him; one holding a spoon as if he was ready to fly over the tables and attempt to gouge his eyes from his face and the other with a grip on his mug of ale that looked more threatening than was probably proper.

This could lead nowhere good.

And if his unsaid prayers were answered, both brother's found discussions with themselves for the rest of the evening when Dwalin found that he did not care to talk anymore of what was no business of theirs as it was no business at all. 

Though he seemed to have thanked his luck to soon for as he was getting up to leave, Kili had fallen into step with him.

"I hear you made a terrible mess of the library."

Dwalin falters in his steps and turns sharply to the younger dwarf. He had not told anyone of his time in the library, in fact he had told no one he was ever in such a place. He was hoping no one would take notice or care for his presence as he slipped down the halls that were unfamiliar to him for he didn't want anyone to be connected to what was going on now to what Dis was getting herself into. 

There was a couple ways for the boy in front of him to find out but there was only one that would keep him in the clear of his actions not being held in even higher question.

"You know 'er?" Dwalin says in surprise, looking at Kili with trepidation. "How?"

"She tutors," he says. "She's an awkward thing, gets herself worked up and doesn't know how to handle it but she taught me history. Around my age too I think, maybe younger if what the other's are saying is true but she's fairly smart."

It was a set up, he knew the boy was practically dangling the gossip in front of his face as if on a fisherman's wire. And he, no less than the stupid fish, was caught almost immediately. "Other's are saying?"

Kili positively beams at him, his smile so wide and eyes shining with glee. He nudged Dwalin's shoulder with his own to get them walking again.

"You are lying to yourself," he said, teasing with a finger waving at him and Dwalin would be more angry at him for baiting if he didn't see the hesitance and sorrow creep into the younger's eyes.  
\-- 

It was another cloudy day, as it has been for quite some time. The fall shall be upon them soon along with the cold and wet snow that Dwalin hates. It didn't do well for him to be in such a freeze, and all the color seemed to be sucked from the lands only to be replaced with glaring white in the day and darker nights; a most depressing time.

But until then and even though their times have been cut shorter and shorter, he had duties with Thorin on getting food stored away for winter and Kili had been sent out with his brother a time or two for some trading in the towns close by, they still tried to have some time for their spars.

"I asked her to come sit in at practice," Kili winked at him as they set about to the open field. "Fili said he'd come as well!"

"Who?" Dwalin asked, nodding to the guards at the opened pass to the sheltered field. There were a few other loiters about, doing this or that but nothing quite so strenuous. Off by some benches he could see a littler of women, some with babes and other's too young for even a courting bead or feather. 

Though the area that they were headed was vacant enough, Dwalin could see a couple of figures talking, bent together and looking at a book. It didn't take him long to recognize the hair colors and clothing's to know it was the young scribe woman and Fili.

Forget being brutal, Dwalin was going to murder him. 

At a push, he would say that it was probably a good thing for Ori to be out from hunching over books and scrolls all day, and at a shove he could maybe admit to wanting a chance to see if the lass was what she was made out to be; an odd mixture of shy and brave. Obviously Kili's words and not his own.

"What's this?" He made himself speak levelly as they neared the two.

"Evening, Dwalin!" Fili said with a smiled and a bow of his head, and Ori shut her book quickly letting out a greeting of her own.

Dwalin frowned at the book, "Evening."

Ori was sitting on her purple coat and Dwalin could see she was an average woman in all the areas, not overly a dwarf figure but nothing to unsightly. And he had the vague idea that she would have given him quite the tongue lashing if she knew of his thoughts. Oddly, it made his spirits lift some.

Fili stood and offered his hand to Dwalin, "Ori was just showing me some of her sketches, they are quite nice," he leaned in, covering up his actions with their greetings. "And if you're nice maybe she will show you them too." 

Dwalin grunted and looked back towards the girl again. He cheeks were slightly stained red; from Fili's praise or from being in the sun, he doesn't know.

"Then you can do his stretches with him." He thrusts his thumb out to Kili.

Fili rolled his eyes while Kili squawked indignant. His voice throwing out high pitched arguments while Fili dragged him away to the middle of the field, whispering in his ear. He usually let Kili forgo the warm ups as he never really liked to do them either and if he was going to make the boy do them he himself had to show an example.

Ori coughed, a small smile on her face as she watched the two brothers arguing. She didn't get up from her seat on the ground nor did she offer her arm in greeting. Something some would think rude and unapproachable but Dwalin was not like most. So instead he sat himself next to her on the sun warmed grass and watched the other’s with her.

She looked at him curiously for a moment before a ghost of the smile from earlier appeared. "Have they been naggin' you just as much?"

He was sort of surprised at her abrupt boldness in topic but instead found himself a little charmed. "Aye, it's as if I've known you for yer life by the gossips they've been telling me."

Ori snorts, "I'm sure they've been much kinder than most."

Dwalin worked with many dwarves in his time in the army. Has seen a great many terrible things and actions but none quite reached the knowledge of seeing false bravado in another. As if one more beating or loss was just another cross to bear in this life.

It didn’t help that Kili's words were still ringing in his ears from days ago, 'they suspected her of falsely posing as a man to get to her position; said she didn't get to where she was because of her smarts, if you know my meaning.'

It had all rushed to him then, why she had not liked being apologized to because he had found out she was not what he had thought. 

"They see you as a worthy friend," he said watching as the soft wind blows her bangs across her forehead. He's always been bad at this, this whatever it was. He felt like he was bad at it so it was easily assumed that it was something that he had never been good at or has never done before. 

Ori just laughs, a delightful sound he can honestly say to himself he quite enjoys. 

"They act as if they are my brother's and not of friends most times. Trying to set me up with this or that, saying I can only get so much from books."

She laughs even harder at the surprise on his face at her words. He had suspected she was of the innocent sort, and this sort of playful words was nothing short of shocking. By his balding head, she was teasing him. 

"Aye," he finds himself playing along. "But I bet they know more of your tastes than your real brothers."

"Oh, most certainly," Ori stretches her legs out in front of her. Her knitted scarf and gloves where in a pile by her side. "If it were up to them I would be doing myself right by just marrying the books themselves."

"Now that's an interesting thought, you'd be doing most the work."

"Mm, almost." She hums, "but they would be good for a bit of foreplay."

Dwalin barks out a surprised laugh and covers it with a cough; by the gods, the language the little one had on her! He had not suspected such things from any lady dwarf, not even the teasings that came from the 'of the evening' types either. 

Her laughter was loud and slightly airy as she wiped away tears from her eyes and tried to get her breathing under control. 

"You are too easy," she chortled, brushing some of the longer strains of hair that had fallen loose from her braids from her face. One of the shorter ribbons was missing from her beard and he knew without looking that it was being used as a marker in one of the books she had brought with her.

"Aye," he agrees with a long suffering sigh. "You youngin's and yer speech these days. You'll get yours though, just you wait. Time stands still for no dwarf."

Ori raises an eyebrow at him, still smiling. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," he raises one right back at her. They fall into a weirdly comfortable silence after that; she looking across the field and he watching her fiddle absent-mindly with the quill she has twirling in her hands. Her fingers unsurprisingly are stained with ink and there are thin cuts in various places among them. Though they look delicate he can see the workings of calluses and roughened skin that tell him she does more than just read and write all day.

"What's your--" before he can finish his question she blurts out before him and he has to wait a moment for her words to sink in. "What?"

She worries at her bottom lip and looks away from him shyly. "I said I wanted to apologize for my behavior that night we met. No one usually comes into the library that late--well, no one who isn't looking for help in finding a late night book to read. So I had assumed whoever you to be, to be the one the Master Librarian was waiting for."

Dwalin smiles easily at her and holds out his hand, "Consider it already forgotten."

"Yeah," she takes his hand firmly and he gives it a little squeeze just so he could see her smile once more.

Maybe the lads were onto something, not that he would ever tell them as such and never, ever would he even hint at such things with Dis or Thorin. He looks over to the field and is surprised to find that the two brothers were already with weapons and in mid fight. Fili letting Kili slack off much more than he should be, considering. 

"You know," Ori says thoughtfully. She had taken to rubbing the feather part of her quill across her lips, a simple mindless gesture and Dwalin wanted nothing more than to take the quill away from her and snap it in two. “He has better eyesight than most. Have you tried him with a bow yet?”

“Ha!” A bow wasn’t seen much as a true weapon for a dwarf, it was mostly seen as a backup force than an actually weapon one would march into a battle with. Let alone that, Thorin wouldn’t be too impressed to hear that he had offered one to Kili for training on the grounds that he personally found them to be to elf-like.

But Ori looked at him with a sort of determination, the sun making her eyes squint. “You take me as joking?”

“Ah, not so much, no. It’s jus’ Kili doesn’t have such good luck with… weapons he has to throw or hold his balance long for. I’m sure you heard the stories.” Dwalin smirks when he sees Ori wince. “Not so sure I want him with something that has more potential to harm accidentally than those.”

“I see your point,” she concedes, or so he thinks. “But maybe if you set up some targets facing away from the crowd—or better yet the forests where no one would be. I can’t see him doing much harm than to maybe an unfortunate animal.”

“You’ll forgive me if that all doesn’t give me any ease of mind. The lads got talents.” 

At that moment Kili more or less launched himself at his brother with a war cry, obviously getting nowhere with the swords. They were laughing before they even hit the ground and Dwalin knew if he didn’t break it up now he’d be getting nowhere with them for the rest of the time they were here.

It wasn’t such a bad idea to let them tussle it out while he lay back in the grass but he’s never been one for being idle. His mother had always told his brother and him it is the working dwarf that is the happiest and as such she always had them running around with tasks and encouraging them to go about with their interests with vigor; him with the army while his brother went the rout of medicine.

“Ah, I see it’s time I should be doing something with them.” Dwalin grunts as he lifts himself from the ground, “It’s better that they are distracted so as to cause less damage.”

“Are they really that bad?” Ori wonders at him, she looks even younger in some way now that he is standing and she stretched out still with a journal in her lap and a quill between her fingers.”They are usually much more graceful—well, Fili’s much more graceful but are they really what you make them out to be?”

Dwalin grins and motions an arm out to the two brothers tumbling about without a care. “This is your first sit in, just be glad they hadn’t planned all this months ago.”

He turns to walk away but her voice catches him once more with a question.

“Is that your way of inviting me to sit in on more?” 

There’s a brief flash of reasons why he should say no, he doesn’t want to be presumptuous but he is not stupid and knows that the lass intrigues him in more ways than just thoughts. And he isn’t blind to her looks either, being who he is Dwalin is use to such looks and usually finds pleasure in them but there is something akin to danger in this one. It makes his pulse quicken and he’s not all too sure he doesn’t like the feeling.

“It’s getting to be near winter soon,” he says instead and Ori just tilts her head as if considering. “I cannot guarantee we’ll be doing much more out here.” 

“Is that a ‘no’ then?”

Dwalin takes in her easy smile and ink stained hands sheltering her eyes form the setting sun, and can’t find it in him to give her anything but what she wants. 

“Nay, lass, if yer willing to come and bear witness to this…” he cannot find the right words to give her that would convey his practices with the young Kili so he ends up just waving a hand at the two brothers instead. “I bid you welcome. May even make him better if he knows someone will be watching.”

He walks away from her then, already stealing himself for what is to come. That is, he is telling himself it is only because he has enough trouble training Kili when he is by himself and not because he may have interests in Ori and doesn’t know what to do about it.  
\--

She comes to some of the practices when she is able, Kili tells him she has more duties in the library and Dwalin has a slight wonder on what those could possibly be that would keep her preoccupied for weeks on end, but doesn’t voice it knowing Kili would take it in a away he wasn’t meaning. Well, not entirely meaning. It’s mostly because the wee lass has wit like none other he has met in a long time, and it brightens his day when she uses it on other’s in his presence and because she has a lovely tendency to harboring sweets and slipping them into his pockets when he is unknowing.

It was Thorin himself that had let that little shameful bit slip out to her about his infatuation with all things laced with sugar. 

She had offered him her own scarf one day when the weather was getting to a biting chill that came with the winds from the north. He had refused at first, shocked and a little frightened what it would seem like to those around them at the field but she had reminded them that no one with nearly a quarter of a brain larger than theirs would be out in such times. And she was right, the pass was nearly deserted and the guards had looked miserable when they seen them coming.

“And what would you be wearing if I take this from you?” He asked in a last ditch effort to persuade her from such a gift.

“I have my coat,” She tugged at her sleeve of her purple jacket. “And I work in the library which is located primarily indoors. You on the other hand are out in the weather for half of yours and while your coat is more than substantial enough, you don’t always get to wear it.”

With a put upon sigh—mainly just for show, Dwalin took the offered accessory from her and still felt a bit bad about it. Ori let out a sigh of her own and waved a teasing hand at him irritatingly. 

“Fine, fine. If you must you can just borrow that one and bring in back to me later, and I can make you one of your own.”

He agrees readily and thinks for a moment after the scarf is firmly around his neck and he is yelling at Kili about something that he has just been tricked. And then it is further after when he goes to return the scarf to its owner that Thorin invites himself along and politely puts himself in the middle of the conversation between him and Ori. 

She is all smiles and laughter most days that it comes as a complete shock to him when he first hears the whispers in the halls when he is on his way to the library to visit the young scribe and Master Librarian; she is still trying to convince him to allow Kili a bow while the elder just watches on with laughter in his eyes.

“Such a waste, that one is. Did you hear the latest?“ He at first ignores the words—that is he ignores them until he sees the one speaking stiffen at his presence and cuts his sentence short while he passes. It nags him deep in his chest so he takes the bend in the hall and stands just out of eye sight.

“That was him!” The one who was speaking earlier whispered in excitement, “She’s been found with him a great many times I hear.”

“Who is he?” To the other dwarf’s credit, he sounds bored. Dwalin hears a faded thwap and a startled grunt of surprise before the first dwarf is speaking again.

“Don’t be dense, he is a Royal Guard and is a hero from the wars before and works exclusively with the Prince as an advisor of sorts.”

Dwalin rolls his eyes and thinks how foolish he is to stay behind to hear such useless drivel and takes a step to continue his way to Ori when he takes a pause when he hears laughter.

“I guess it is not enough that she takes her time with the young Kili on occasion, or has seduced her way to being the Librarian’s apprentice, no. She must set her ways to a hero such as mister Dwalin. Poor dwarf doesn’t know what he’s getting into—“

Dwalin finds his fist has been launched into the wall by where he was standing, there are tiny cracks racing their way up the stone and he really wishes to know what the speaking dwarf of such gossips face would look like if the wall was replaced by him. The robes that the two wore indicated that they were of the library staff and older in their years than Dwalin himself. Were they really so coarse as to be spreading such things about a young woman so dedicated to their own belief in books? Shouldn’t they be happy that they have one such as Ori?

He remembers Kili begging her to come to a practice, offering her things that escalated towards the insane by each one of her passes. 

“But he is much nicer when you are there!” He bellowed and draped himself ungracefully over her desk nearly spilling the opened bottle of ink and pointing accusingly at Dwalin’s face. “It’s as if he pines for—whoa!”

Ori’s giggles follow them while Dwalin drags a struggling Kili out by the scruff of his neck; his own face flaming with heat and vows to make Kili sore in places he has never known.

She had refused to come with them that day because she had unfortunately not finished her duties for the day and couldn’t leave them unfinished even if for only a little while. And even with Kili’s persuasion of getting her a pass, something not even he understood what he was talking about, she had told him quite plainly the books and her job came first. 

It was quite possibly the hardest thing he had ever done with his life but after he took one step away from the two in the hall, the others were only a bit easier to take till he was at the doors of the great Royal Library. It was a jealousy, he had decided on, a jealousy in their pride that such a young woman such as Ori could surpass them in a shorter amount of time.

“Ah, Master Dwalin,” the elder dwarf greeted him with a small bow of his head. “Here for again for Ori I take it? It will take a moment, she is in a meeting with her brothers.”

When he doesn’t answer or give greetings of his own the Master Librarian looks at him in worry. “Is there something the matter?”

“No,” Dwalin says quickly, not meeting the librarian’s eyes. “I just… heard something I wasn’t prepared for.”

The elder is quiet for moments before letting out a small sigh and placing his quill down and motions for Dwalin to take up a chair. “So, you have heard the rumors.”

It wasn’t a question and that had somehow made Dwalin feel much more guilty than he had been. He nods anyway, not knowing what else to do.

“I can only image what you have heard but I suppose it was about yourself as well?”

Dwalin nods again. He feels like he is a child being questioned on his behavior to something that hasn’t happened yet.

The librarian lets out a breath and taps his fingers on his desk in thought. “You are taking this much better than the young Kili at least.”

Dwalin was curious, he wanted to ask so badly that he could nearly feel the wave of want throughout his whole body. Kili had told him very little of their friendship and yes, Dwalin had questioned it. Even with the Ori being the boys tutor, Kili has never been one for types such as hers. He preferred his company to be in just as much energy and trouble making as him. So Kili stating that he would carve out Dwalin’s insides while he slept and hand over his dead body to the dwarves of medicine if he should ever hurt her was just as startling as the threat itself.

“They didn’t get along at first, heavens did they fight.” There must have been a specific memory the elder was thinking of because he let out a small laugh and his eyes faded in a way that told Dwalin he was remembering. “He too jittery and wound up for sitting still while she was stiff and by the book. They made such an awful pair.”

It was even more curious, Dwalin thought, that they were still like that. Ori was strict on herself and even when she was having fun she was still reserved in a way that had Dwalin thinking something was wrong with her upbringing and Kili, well, Kili always had too much energy for anyone to handle on their own. 

“You’re asking yourself what changed.”

Startled, Dwalin narrows his eyes at the older dwarf. He didn’t so much as believe in such things as the fables of mind-readers and such but that is mostly given to that he has never met anyone with such talents. Though, he is beginning to suspect the Master Librarian on being such a creature.

“Well,” the librarian went on. “Kili came upon a very shocking bit of… news about the same way you have been. He overheard some gossip from the other workers here, they were speaking about Ori’s, and I’m very sorry for such words but they were speaking about her lack of virtue. They believed her to be lying about her gender so that she could get some of the elder staff alone and… well, I’m sure you can figure out that bit.

“I admit the first time I met her she was not wearing her ribbons but she did not come to me with visions of… that. In fact the first time we met we had argued.” Relaxing a bit more in his seat the librarian stared Dwalin in the eye, “Which should sound familiar, yes? She had come to me with a book I had told all the ones who had wished to take the job as apprentice must read and study. Do you want to know the book?”

The question has Dwalin thrown for a moment, it was amazing how these bookish types could keep doing that to him. “Uh, sure?”

“Rosalviva; or The Demon Dwarf, A Romance.” The librarian said it with such air that Dwalin couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. It sounded like a joke but he felt better about not saying anything and just waiting for his cue. “Many thought it was a joke—like yourself—but they all did the reading and some evaluations of the book were quite interesting about symbolisms and such. But it was Ori who came in with the book itself, her ribbons like I said not on her but were being used as bookmarks so she could further her arguments. 

“She said the book was offensive, not because the dwarf had wanted to find love and had done some very questionable things to ensure that the one she wished to have could go on still living, but because the author had portrayed love as something important to a woman’s survival. She said that love is more important than that, more than a means of survival and more of a way of needing to be in love to find happiness. Ori fully protested to the man falling in love with the woman just because she had protected him and gave him shelter. ‘There’s more to the person that that!’ she said, ‘There will always be circumstances that will push a person, saying you love someone because they are helpful is just the same as saying you love your boots because it keeps your feet from being wet.’” 

It was in that inappropriate time that instead of thinking of Ori, his thoughts took him to Dis. How she too had been looking for love since she was the age to notice the attentions of the dwarf men and wonders what she would be like if instead of learning to sew, one of the lessons her brothers didn’t have to attend but nothing any of them saw as odd, that she was left to learning to wield her own sword.

“Also said that in a society where the females were only expected to and encouraged to ‘find love’ that it cheapens the quality of what love truly is. And that society itself loses out on advancing on half of its population by making the females not equals even if they do not mean to. As she put it, two legs are better to stand on then one.

“And she, being the youngest and the only woman, got the job. And while others see it as different, those are not the reasons she got accepted. It was because at the end she told me very clearly, ‘I do not want this job because it would be better suitable to a man, nor because it would make me a guidance for younger dwarf woman. I want this job because my brothers always told me that just because my mother had misplaced her love in one that did not stay true, shouldn’t have meant she couldn’t try again.’” 

By the time the Librarian had stopped talking Dwalin had felt he had been quiet for so long it was like a life time had passed. His heart was beating hard against his chest, he was almost certain it could be heard and he wished he knew the right response to what was happening because he was more than certain feeling himself fall completely in love with the young scribe was not it.

“I fell in love with her then too,” Dwalin looks at the Master Librarian with what he hopes looks like shock and not outrage and jealousy but the elder is laughing at him. “Not like that—no, no—I fell in love with her character. Her willingness to play the part but not letting the part she is playing define her. She doesn’t know it, probably never will, but that is what most are jealous of her for. Not because she got a higher position while she is still so young.”

Dwalin is sure at some point in there the librarian had given his blessing but he wasn’t so brave as to question where. His thoughts kept jumping from his young scribe to his friend Dis with a feeling he wasn’t sure he understood completely. 

He was still in a bit of fear when Thorin would come to him. Afraid that instead of a greeting of the day, that it to be about Dis and her dalliances with an elf, while accusing him of aiding her and being a traitor to him and his family. She hadn’t spoken to him again about such things, hadn’t asked for him to do anything else for her or offered any sort of information on the subject. Something that he thought very wise of her but yet must feel very lonely. He made a short vow to go to her within the week.

“What did you think of the book then?” Dwalin braves to speak out loud. There were a million other questions that would have been better, could have assured the elder his thoughts where pure for the young scribe but knew he would just end up being laughed at. He kind of wanted to laugh at himself for such an obvious lie as that. 

“Oh? Why, I’ve never read it—don’t plan to either, romance has never been to my tastes.”

His either, he wants to say just for something to say but they both know books in general where never his interests at all, let alone him having any ideal preference. This whole day and confrontation was beyond him, like it was building to fast and he was just being dragged along for the ride without any consent from him. All he had wanted was to join Ori in what had become a growing ritual between them, he would venture here to interrupt her work so that she would argue with him about the merits of weaponry. She had even referenced a couple books to him on the subject (none that he had taken to reading himself but listened carefully when she read from them), slyly slipping in the advantages of a bow and arrow each time.

It wasn’t until one such evening that the work for her had been very slow that he had caught her with a sling shot, taking aim at some papers she had tacked to the far wall and hitting the targets with a deadly sort of accuracy. She blushed when she had finally taken notice of his presence and pushed off his compliments by talking about Kili and how it was him who had better skill. He didn’t believe it for a second.

“She knows of these rumors then?”

The elder took a fleeting glance toward the entrance of the library; the heavy wooden doors with the winged beasts perched in stone out in front were barely visible. “She knows of some and while the ones with you are new, she would not be surprised to hear them now.” 

His teeth clenched in anger, he wanted to shout at the older dwarf to ask him how he could let such things happen. How he could let such things be said about one he obviously care about as if one of his own and even if he knows the odds of quieting the voices of those who wish to speak ill of one another is beyond low, Dwalin can’t help but to put blame on someone. And it seems easy to put blame where the power is held instead of where it needs to be; with the people who do the speaking.

Or with him, it dawns on him with a vicious twist in his chest. He had let himself be blind to—he is cut from his thoughts with a firm clearing of a throat and Dwalin finds himself looking up to a very unimpressed Master Librarian.

“I do not know where your thoughts are turning, mister Dwalin,”—Dwalin thinks that is a lie but he doesn’t say anything—“but it will do you good to actually talk to Ori about this and figure out what to do about such things together, instead of on your own.”

He can feel himself nodding, his head is dense and heavy with thoughts that are forever becoming more unbearable. Before he can change his mind, he is standing from the chair and giving his farewells to the elder. “Please give Ori my apologies that I missed her but I must go. I shall keep your advice in mind but for right now…”

For right not he really needed to work out his anger so that he didn’t go saying something to hurt the lass even further, something he had tried to avoid after Fili had threatened his manhood with an axe when he had made a joke about the color of her hair.  
\--

She had found him, days later, in one of the lesser known rooms for practicing. He had his knuckle dusters on and was still violently pushing away his anger with a sand filled bag of deer skin when he caught her out of the corner of his eye. At first he had a mind to ignore her, to tell her to leave and continue his routine that he had been slacking in since their fated meeting all those—gods—all those months ago. 

Ori was prepared though, as he seen, she had a book opened on her lap and was leaning against one of the pillars as she sat by and waited for him. Dwalin hadn’t meant to avoid her, tried to tell himself it wasn’t avoiding when he really didn’t have to put in such efforts since she was something he actually went out of his way to greet. And while Kili and Fili mentioned her in passing, he never really talked about her unless it was something that needed mentioning. Like, how Ori had taken an interest in plants when she had met his brother for the first time and they had spent nearly an afternoon talking about common weeds that could be used to heal sore throats and ease away burns.

Dwalin didn’t know what he had expected between the two but having his brother sit with him afterwards and grumble unhappily that it was unfair that the Master Librarian had gotten to her first was defiantly not it. And Balin had then started requiring updates of her status regularly.

“What are you here for?” Dwalin asked not looking to her direction. 

“You,” She says, not looking up from her book and it’s like he is thrown back in time. 

Vaguely he finds himself irritated with that simple action as it did back when they had first met and hates that it eases the tension in his shoulders. He tries to ignore it and childishly tries to hold onto his anger and lands a few more hits to the bag in front of him in spite before giving up when the third hit doesn’t so much as move the bag on its hinge.

He feels defeated in some way, like he has given up on her—which is absurd, he knows but the words still echo through his mind even as he makes his way over and sits by her side. “And how did you find me?”

“Kili.” Ori brings her hands up to untie a ribbon from her hair; the ones in her beard have been lost since weeks ago he remembers. She is wearing a knitting cap that matches her gloves but brings about the shape of her face quite nicely. He recalls first seeing the hat on her one evening while she was doing errands for the Master Librarian and had made the mistake of commenting on her looks, the way it had made her ears stick out just so, with in hearing distance of what unfortunately was her eldest brother.

That was a first meeting he really wished he could do over again. Ori had teased him mercilessly, trying to get him to tell her what he had said that had Dori all up in arms so quickly and had him raising his voice at her about how she is to always carry a dagger around at all times in case someone try something with her.

“I could court you proper.” He says earnestly and bluntly, and glares at her when she laughs. She waves a hand him, like the look on his face could be written off like it was as threatening as a baby hare.

“Don’t be silly, you’d have to ask my brothers first and you think Fili and Kili are protective.”—because he had told her, of course he had told her what the two had threatened him with because she had found it amusing and had laughed long and loudly at his expense every time—“My brothers on the other hand are by no means attached to you in anyway.”

She boldly kneels in front of him and takes his hand in hers to peel away the straps he has over his hands. He’s had them on for days and it makes them feel weird to suddenly only see his tattoos over his hands instead of black leather and steel. It takes him a moment but he finds that she’s shaking a little and when he questions her, she swallows thickly.

“I-I don’t really know how to do this,” Ori’s cheeks are flaming and it is her turn to not being able to look him in the eyes. “I’m afraid I’ll be bad at it.”

Dwalin feels it is finally his due that he can now laugh at her and is completely rewarded when she huffs and glares at the ground with a near pout on her lips. She doesn’t let his hand go though and for that he takes it as a sign she’s not really cross with him, a good thing because he unknowingly has been waiting for this the first time he seen her smoothing a balm over her lips. Something Balin had given her when she had complained about the pain of cracked lips during the past winters.

“We should have a discussion about this,” he teases when their lips are nearly together. “Your brothers wouldn’t like this.”

Ori huffs and punches him lightly in the shoulder. Her ears are even turning red and Dwalin knows he will tease her about that one day before he brings a hand to the back of her neck and pushes her forward into a kiss. She’s awkward, obviously this is something she hasn’t done much, the way she doesn’t know what to do with her hands and the way their noses keep bumping into one another. He can’t say it was his best kiss but he can say it was his favorite.

He can taste the plain waxy flavor of the balm and feels it smear onto his own lips; it's unpleasant but he slides his tongue out to taste more of it anyways. He'll have to request that Balin try to find a way to add flavor to his next batch he gives her; maybe even suggest a few of his favorites. 

Ori hums and tugs at his beard in a sharp tug, pulling away with a last tiny kiss to his lips and a blush going to tips of her ears. She motions to the door, "Uh, Kili said he'd, um, would be monitoring."

Dwalin stares at her flatly, "Monitoring? Fer' what?"

"I don't know!" She hissed out in a whisper, rubbing her hands over her face, "He said something about integrity and... oh--oh! He's a bloody pervert!"

She pushes herself away then, red faced and cursing under her breath, but even though Dwalin was disappointed, she still held tight to his hand. His own startled laughter--she tried to shush him, telling him that he couldn't laugh at her about such things when he didn't know what was said--filled the room and definitely could be heard through the door.

"You don't need to be embarrassed," Dwalin still had a smile on his face as he talked, nudging her shoulder with his. Ori looked away from him, obviously hiding a pout as she took to doing when such an act only got her teased more. 

"Don't tell me what to feel embarrassed about." She said stubbornly. 

Dwalin went to touch her with his other hand, just a poke to her side where she was most ticklish and seen the red that stained his hands for the first time. It was a wonder he had never felt them hurt, even now as he looked at them in shock he couldn't feel the pain as sharply as he knew they looked. He could feel a dull thrum in his knuckles but that could be seen as the lasting effects of the feel of hitting the deer-sack for hours upon days. 

He looked to his other hand, the one that held Ori's and found that she was hold his hand in a way that hers was not touching any of the bruising. She was being careful with him--him a dwarf nearly twice her size and triple her strength. It made him angry for a moment, she thinks that it was him that needed such treatment as these wounds can heal easily enough with a bit of washing and yet she, Ori walked around the library as if she was deaf to all that said around her. How the words did not affect her but that her friends should bare the wounds of the words that were thrown carelessly at her by mere whispers.

"I don't understand you," Dwalin has to look away from their hands intertwined. Has to not see such misplaced tenderness shown so openly. "How is it you can--why do--"

He curses himself for not knowing what to say. Wishes for the words that come so easily to Ori to grace him with something--anything to make her understand that he doesn't understand why such things are affecting him as much.

"I didn't know you haven't heard what the other's were spreading about you--"

"About me?!" Dwalin twists to look around at her, his features sharp with anger and he blocks her in with the pillar still at her back. "You think this is what they say about me?"

He's so angry at her, he can feel the bubbling twist of it in his throat. Even her flinch back at his shout didn't seem to snap him out of it. "How could you be so, so mindless as to think it's my own I am--"

Dwalin is so wound up that the fist to his jaw takes him by surprise and topples him to his back side. It didn't hurt so much as it was surprising and he finds himself staring up at Ori who is shaking and from what he can tell on the verge of crying. 

He really hopes Kili was just teasing the lass earlier and is not at the door listening in.

"Do not call me mindless! And do not think that I have not heard the rumors about you being a user of woman! If you think the rumors of myself are true enough to be held in such account by your actions then what of that about yourself? Doesn't it still apply to me but through you?"

She makes a sudden movement and Dwalin is fearful for a moment that she is going to leave him but Ori just rips off her knitted cap and throws it at him. And he, too stunned to move gets hit in the face. Her hair is wild, the short strands sticking up in all directions and her hands that move through the air without finesse make her seem as if she is deranged and Dwalin, for one remarkable moment understands that he can have this.

He wants to kiss her but knows she would sooner knock him over again before letting him put his lips over hers so soon. Dwalin sort of hates how that seems like a good enough reason to try anyway. She turns to retrace her path away from him and Dwalin rushes to wrap his arms around her, his front to her back as he walks with her to the wall and leans his forehead against the cool stone. Ori is blessedly fallen silent and hasn't moved to shove him away.

"I shouldn't forgive you so easily for this," she whispers, her hands clutching up at his own. 

"I know, I'm a brute."

Ori laughs weakly but Dwalin takes it as a good sign regardless. "And?"

"And for being brash."

"And?"

Dwalin bites at her shoulder, "and for not respecting what is not mine?"

"For not respecting what is clearly not yours to worry about alone." He can't see her smile but knows that she is. "And for that, I think I will not be attending you when you do tell my brothers of us."

Dwalin stiffens, "I would prefer not to tell them at all."

"Oh don't be like that, I now Dori doesn't much care for you because of what neither of you are telling me, but I can't see him doing anything more than maybe poisoning the biscuits when has you over for tea. And Nori, well," Ori turns in his grip and runs her hands over the side of his face, angling it so he was looking into her eyes. "Try not to find yourself alone with him."

“Are you saying your brother could beat me?” While he has never really talked to the middle brother, he has thrown the pest in the cells for theft and drunken behavior, Dwalin can't see the dwarf putting up much of a fight.

“No, no! What I’m saying is you would win in a fair fight. Nori... is a bit of a hornswoggle." She in turn looks a little nervous as she explains, "He plays at being bad at something, making the one he is against misjudge him greatly and then he strikes most viciously."

Dwalin stares down at her, his eyes moving into slits. "How do you know of this then?"

"I, uh, may have... given him the idea?"

"You!" She looks offended by his tone and while she is scowling he is smiling.

Ori pushes him away again but not as rough or purposefully, instead she stands with her hands on her hips. "And what of it?"

"I don't believe it for a second." Dwalin pokes at her puffed out cheek. He kind of believes it, to be honest, such a tactic was more than something any sort of intelligence could come up with and she was clever in ways that sometimes frightened him. 

"Mm, well," Ori relents. "To be fair I didn't know when he asked me about diversion of birds that he was really asking about ways he could cheat people more easily." 

"Birds." Dwalin repeated with a grin. "Birds."

Ori tugs at his beard, "Yes, birds.  
\--

Dwalin had never thought about how much time Ori spent with Kili, apparently a lot more then what was suggested as Kili had never talked about her or made any notion that he had known her until that time he had mention she was his tutor. Something he was going to figure out, or ask them about as it was getting on his nerves that he still didn't know her as well, or better, than Kili seem to. It also never occurred to him how much he could dislike--a word Ori had urged him to use when referring to the annoying younger royal. 

Especially at these times the boy forgot how to knock. 

"Wasn't it you who kept pushing me upon her?"

Those times happen way to often for all of them to have been a mistake. 

"I know! I know," Kili mourned rubbing a hand down his face pulling the features into being a bit distorted. "I regret so much of my life."

Ori giggled behind Dwalin, as close as the two of them were he still did not want Kili to see her without clothing. She was just finishing up the lacings of her pants much to Dwalin's regret and pulling over her undershirt. He had worked hard at undoing those, not use to the clothing Ori wore despite her wearing the same type as him. He has only seen her wearing one dress and it felt like it was long ago when he had first thought himself going crazy as he was seeing her everywhere. 

The dress was an odd shade of blue, he recalls, odd because he had gotten use to seeing her in the purple coat and seeing her in a different color so vibrant was out of place. She was with her older brother at the market, obviously buying foods for dinner and arguing over the vegetable stand; him holding out a leaf to her and her shaking her head against it.

"You could learn a lot from him though. He has this piercing--"

The noise that Kili makes as he covers his ears and screams is worth every second of his own mortification as Dwalin begins to pull his own shirt over his head. 

"You are suppose to be on my side!" Kili bellows, hands still over his ears.

"Your side!" Ori pops out from behind Dwalin, she is still not properly dressed and he has half a mind to just blind Kili before he sees too much of her. "I am still on your side!"

"What--" he tries to ask but is drowned out by Kili's shouting's of 'liar' and 'you never loved me'.

Ori's laughing as she shoves Kili out of Dwalin's room telling him he has to be patient and so that they can get dressed in peace. Or, as he catches the sly smile she sends him when the door is fully closed behind her, they will be making Kili wait a bit longer.

"What's he on about?" Dwalin drops the belt he pick up from the floor and crowds her back to the wall. "What's all this about sides?"

He tries to untuck her shirt from her pants again but his hands are slapped away and then held in hers as she led him back over to the bed. A bed that he has been sharing with her for countless of times but yet never tires of seeing her upon it even if she is clothed. 

"You remember the practice field when Kili had first asked me to watch?" Dwalin nodded but his focus was more on her fingers that were untying the stings to her pants; her feet still bare.

She hesitated enough that Dwalin took a chance to get the shirt back over her head and thrown off to the side before lifting her to his lap once more. And her hands now working on his pants as she continued to talk.

"Well, he asked me to be there for a," her breath hitched when he bit at her neck. "Reason, he asked me there for a reason."

"Mm?" He asked, mouth still at her neck and his hands wandering up her underclothing to get at her skin. 

Her fingers fumbled over his strings and she had to take in a deep breath before continuing, making quick work of his ties and getting her hand around him. He'd gone soft nearly the instant Kili had barged in asking if he had any idea where Ori had run off to. Like he fully didn't understand that if he--and in much recent events, if they were in the bedroom it didn't take much thought as to what they could be up to. 

"He asked me to get you to...to--Dwalin, you can't, you can't do that while I'm--"

His fingers had moved from her back to rub at her through her underpants, something he found got her excited quicker than any other tactic. Dwalin had been meaning to ask her about it but felt that the answer didn't really matter so much as the actual result of it working so well. The first time he had used his mouth on her she had protested and gotten so embarrassed Dwalin could then see that her chest also flushed bringing out the freckles that littered about nicely.

That night had unfortunately been a very short one after that discovery.

"Go on," Dwalin urges her and laughs when she bites at his lips.

"As I was--was saying, Kili wanted me to get--you--to let him pr-practice with a bow." It took a couple of seconds but Dwalin pauses then and Ori growls in frustration as it's the second time she had been denied her release. Her hands tighten over his shoulders.

"He what?" He tries to keep his laughter to himself, can feel his insides quiver with the force of it and knows she is going to be angry at him for not finishing what he had started again but Dwalin puts all the blame on her. Rightfully so. "Really?"

"Dwalin." Ori pushes him back so he is lying across the bed, his laughter floating out of him and she flops down next to him. Her head pillows on his outstretched arm.

Kili, finally sick of being ignored started banging on the door, "Don't go back to fooling about! Dwalin! I know you can hear me, you can't just keep her in there forever! I'll never forgive you if you keep her from me!"

It is quiet for a few seconds before he starts the banging again and Dwalin has to catch his breath quickly so he can give Ori another kiss before she is up and pulling on her clothes in haste. She rolls her eyes at him every time he starts chuckling again and making jokes but she's patient with him when it takes him nearly double her time to get his clothes back into place. It's then that she leans up to kiss him on the cheek and whispers in his ear.

"He just wants to be able to be good at one thing, give him a chance. Please?" And then she is over to the door before Dwalin can even understand that he has finally given in to her demands, and pulls it open to point a finger at Kili's wide eyed look. 

"Next time you interrupt I am not stopping him. You'll either have to leave or watch." 

Dwalin knows it is a lie, she would be to shy about someone seeing her in that state even if that other person be a friend such as Kili who Dwalin thinks has gotten all his uncle's bad habits and none of the sense. But he can enjoy the fearful look Kili sends to her back as he runs to catch up to her already apologizing profusely and promising to knock next time.

He sighs as he thinks of ways he can forgo telling Thorin what he is going to be up to. Which is much easier then how he is going to go about silencing those who see him handing a bow and a quiver to Kili at their next practice together. And he knows with how those two went on and Ori's persistence at what he had thought was a joke between them, that Kili would no doubt excel at it.  
\--

He is talking with one of the smiths about what is needed to make a couple stable targets for an arrow and is in mid argument about height differences--one of the things he remembers from Ori reading from one of her books. When Fili rushes in and Dwalin knows it is something serious when he doesn't even great him and starts pulling him back out the door; talking it what sounds like riddles.

"Calm yer'self," Dwalin is saying but doesn't stop Fili from leading him down the winding halls to the part of the mountain that held the rooms for political meetings. He begins to get more anxious when Fili mumbles something about 'elf' and 'human village' and sees Kili and Ori standing outside the doors to the room. Kili obviously worried and taking comfort in the scribes hushed tones as she tells him it will be alright. 

Fili lets him go then and hurries himself to Kili's side, taking over Ori's ministrations and Dwalin can feel himself become irritated when Ori looks at him with worry written over her face.

"What's going on?" He doesn't mean to ask the question so roughly but that is the way it falls out and he has no time to regret it when Ori is by his side, her hand wrapped in his.

"I'm not sure," she says biting her lip and looking over at the brothers. "We were mid lesson when Kili got called out, when he came back in he wasn't making very much sense. All I got was it's about his mother."

Blind panic compresses over Dwalin so quickly that it as if he had gone blind and deaf all at once. Ori's voice of concern suddenly going low and faded while Fili and Kili's faces all go black. Dis had been caught, it's just as shocking as it would be if he didn't even know what she had been up to. And it dawned on him that he was more regretting the fact that he had not talked to her more about her secret than he had regretted helping her make it.

Dis had told him it was one from Rivendell, and at that it was just as strange for the elf that Dis had a beard while the other's face was so bare. But she had marveled longingly at the feel of their hair, told him how it had felt like a softer silk and shined even in low light.

That was all though that she would talk about and Dwalin understood that it was not something they should be talking about at all, let alone even when they are alone together. Instead she had asked him about his new addition to his life and teased him about being so much older and Ori being her son's tutor. She didn't begrudge him his happiness though, was quite joyous to getting him to let her meet the young scribe 'that so ruthlessly stole your heart away from me' as she put it.

And Dwalin is greatly remorseful that this will be the first meeting that they will have, Ori hearing about Dis's fling with an elf and how it shamed the rest of her family.

"Did you know?" Dwalin looks over at the brothers standing close together, Kili holding onto Fili as the older one spoke to Dwalin. "Did you know of what my mother was doing?"

They both looked so hopeful that if only Dwalin was blind to this too as much as they had been, it would all be over soon. And they could go about their lives as if this is just another family secret to be shoved with the millions of royal scrolls that Ori hated filing through as they were never in any working order and never held the whole truth because what was written on one royal scroll, over lapped with someone else's and it was like chaos on paper. 

Dwalin looks away and Ori squeezes his hand tightly and he is saved from whatever Fili has a mind to say to him by the doors opening with Thorin now staring at him with his own fury. He drops Ori's hand quickly and moves away from her, he doesn't want her to be caught between them if this comes to blows. An occurrence that very rarely came about from them but wasn't unheard of when it came to their disagreements.

"Thorin," he says in a stiff greeting.

To his side he can feel the boys jerk to attention, honoring their uncle's presence with straight backs and facial expressions that look as if they were carved from stone. Thorin loved his nephews more than anything, Dwalin knew, and in most cases he liked how the boys seemed to be at their best when their uncle was around but such was not the case when he knew it was their own mother that was being held in disregard.

Dwalin had never had to choose between Dis or Thorin before, sure he had befriended Thorin first but Dis made up for that time with the abundance of playful mockery and feeling like a sister he had never known he needed. He wonders now, with a feeling of foreboding, that if he will be forced to take a side. And, after all the wars and fellow dwarves he has seen lost in battle, this alone feels like it is breaking him.

Thorin never returns his greeting but instead breathes in deeply as if it alone is keeping himself from violently getting Dwalin to tell all that he knows. 

"We need to talk." His voice is a type of stern Dwalin has only heard him use once, the time his grandfather was lost in battle and his father was thrown into madness. They don't talk of that time, not lightly at least. Sure the guards and the people talk of the war with the orcs as it is a history many of them still find fresh within their memories, but never do any of them dare to even whisper about it in the prince's presence. 

It took ages for Thorin's father to come back to himself and take up the thrown much the elder council's disapproval and the rumors of the people's about his state of mental health. And it had taken even longer and much sleepless nights of Thorin and Dwalin and a couple others that the kingdom had started running smoothly again.

Thorin is walking away then, steps heavy and somehow threatening as he makes his way towards another room. A room that is was designed specifically for what is said behind its doors, to stays that way.

"Bring your scribe woman," Thorin calls back at him, not faltering his steps nor turning to look and Dwalin is a little taken aback despite himself. Fili and Kili are already scrambling to keep pace with their uncle without looking as if they are being led to their deaths as much as possible--and that is to say they both look as if whatever is to come of this they too are very unwilling to go.

"I will never forgive you for him calling me your scribe woman." Ori hisses out in a panic, looking just as frantic as Dwalin feels, but she grabs a hold of his hand and pulls him along.

This has all gone horribly wrong, Dwalin wants to say. He wants to shout at the walls that this is not how it was all suppose to go but even with his own hysteria building up inside him he knows that all to not be true. He knew that there would be only one ending to this, knew that Dis was going about this as if it was a set-up to letting herself fall.

Dwalin was angry then, angry at Dis for being so selfish in her desires for love, so over come with the romantic notions that love could only be found in those that her family distrusted and wanted nothing to do with. He knew it wasn't her fault for her families views but it was her fault that she got careless with herself and got herself caught. She had sons to think about, brothers and a father that loved her with unquestionable devotion--even had him--and yet would still gamble all their love for a roll around with an elf.

The room is just as he remembers it, small and very misleading by looking just as a regular room for lounging in. Dwalin remembers many nights in here frantically arguing with others, Thorin himself even on some occasions, over battle tactics and whether or not it is wise to fight this war alone without the alliances of the elves. 

"You knew," Thorin rounds on him before the doors are even shut all the way and he has just enough time to push Ori over to Fili before the first fist of the afternoon was thrown at his face. 

"Uncle!" One of the brother's shout, startled and a little small. Thorin misses but Dwalin is now on edge and is ready for another swing refusing to be taken off guard again and seething in anger at his friend for potentially putting Ori in harm like that. 

Out of the corner of his eye he can see Kili had also put his arm around Ori to settle her and Fili's iron grip on her upper arm as if he is ready to pull her away at a moments notice if an invisible force should try to take her away. He couldn't hide it anymore then, when looking at the startled and confused faces.

"Yes." Is the only thing he says and it's as if everyone deflates with a exhale but the anxiety levels of the room have risen to drastic levels.

"And you didn't think it something to tell me about?" Thorin sounds as if he is biting into hot coals. 

"No."

Dwalin is expecting the sudden looming step forward of Thorin into his personal space and just as stubborn as his friend he doesn't move. If not for his own pride, he knows that he also has to be strong for the two boys, for their mother, and show them that just because it is their own blood they shouldn't be blindsided and torn apart from knowing what to do.

"If it was you who asked me," he says slowly and evenly as he can. "I would have done the same for you."

And he had lied many times for his older friend, made excuses and reason he couldn't be in attendance because Thorin had once taken to a human in a town across the river while they were on business to set up a traveling route through said village. But while it wouldn't have been so scandalous to be caught with a human it would still have been seen as Thorin unable to take his duties seriously if he had been caught and Thorin would no doubt bear the full brunt of a his father's anger if he would have known.

Dwalin can see the fight go out of Thorin's eyes but not the anger, that was something no mere words could cure the prince of. Instead he turns to his nephews and Ori whom is still trapped between them and talks as if she isn't even there. 

"I don't know what you have been told, but your mother--my sister, has been caught having personal relations--" Dwalin wants to laugh despite this being a very touchy time for any of them because he has never heard Thorin speak so formaly on such subjects before."--with an elf of Rivendell in a human village."

Kili looks stricken and Dwalin sees Ori sneak her hand into his, he can't even find himself to be anything but relieved that she can give the young boy some comfort. 

Fili on the other hand stares back at his uncle in a challenge, "And why can't mother find peace with another?"

"It's an elf." Thorin says flatly, "A female elf."

"A female elf? Mother has been--" Kili falters, Dwalin understands completely. He himself is thrown off balance at the discovery but when Kili catches the dark look Ori is sending him and Dwalin has to choke back a noise, covering it with a cough of surprise when Kili goes on. "It-it doesn't matter, she should be happy too."

And Dwalin then knows without any other doubt that this is why they are friends and why they stayed as such through the years. Kili's willingness to learn added with Ori's own will to be as patient as Kili needs.

Thorin deflates even more at that and Dwalin has to wonder if this was all just a scene he was putting on. When they were younger and albeit a lot more foolish, he had talked Thorin into going to a tavern on the shady part of a town they were visiting. It had heard rumors of it being a place that blood flowed as freely as the ale, and Dwalin was just itching to go after days of being cooped up in meetings for nearly a week's time.

The rumors had turned out to be more exaggerated about the amount of blood but no less as violent as they let on as Thorin and him both were faced with six men ready to cut their throats and steal their belongings. That was when Thorin had punched him in the shoulder and accused him of this all being his fault and Dwalin blinking at him as if he had lost his mind, but then Thorin had given him a sharp grin and Dwalin was lunging at the prince, understanding what he was being asked to do in order to save both their lives.

Fili and Kili both seemed to be put in confusion at their uncles lack of a biting comeback and yelling. "This is why I asked for the scribe to come along."

"What?" Ori's eyes widened, "Me?"

"Yes, there is something that has to be done," Thorin turns his eyes to Dwalin. "Father is talking about cutting her from succession."

"What?" Kili shouts, his hands--even the one still clutched with Ori's--moved about widely as he spoke. "He--he can't! Mother has done nothing wrong by law he--"

"It would be true if that he wasn't also our father, and your grandfather, and as such has more powers over us than that of if we were just his subjects. And that is why I would like to know if there is anything that could be done to stop it."

They all in turn look to Ori who is turning even more red then Dwalin ever remembers seeing her; she looks as if she's going to pop.

"I-I don't know!" She snaps at them, "How am I suppose to know when I'm in here and not in the library where I could go about finding the answer!"

"There must be something though," Kili argues. "Something that would help."

"Help who?" Ori turns on the boy with a glare and Dwalin quickly looks to Thorin to see him in shock at the viciousness that the scribe is showing to his nephew. "Help your grandfather? Then I would suggest keeping your mother locked away until she agrees to be broken by his demands. Help you? Where you only see this as a problem of your mother being thrown from the family and not where the problem itself lies. In which I suggest you letting me leave to the library where I can reluctantly be of more help."

Kili is looking down at his feet, and instead it was Fili who spoke softly. "And if we asked you to help our mother? What would you suggest then?"

"I would," Ori looks shocked before she is whirling to Thorin. And Dwalin knows that it is only decades of experience that has him standing as a statue even when one wishes to make a distances between themselves and something unpleasant in the eyes. "An alliance of trade!"

"What?" Dwalin barks out his own surprise with the other three in the room. "What are you on about?"

Thorin doesn't look impressed by her outburst but she isn't looking at him anymore, instead she is over to Dwalin talking faster than he can catch on. "A treaty would be best but neither side would agree to the terms with as much bad tastes is between them now, so a trade would be the best that could happen."

"A... trade?" Fili is the only one brave enough to question.

"Yes, yes, a trade! It's not much but it really can't be much more than that." Ori takes a deep breath, "I know I am too young to know of the war and that it still is like a fresh wound in your mind, but I am old enough to see that if a new generation is to continue to hate in what they do not understand it will fall to a darker spiral that no one will be able to fix. I am not asking you to trust them nor am I asking of such things as an alliance what I'm asking is that of tolerance. 

The elves have such tools and knowledge of older times long since pass but are still in effect today that could prove very useful, and we dwarves have tools and knowledge of the times today that could help and better their growth in the now societies. If you could set up a trade, even one that comes twice a year, it would be a start. And would be a set up King Elrond couldn't refuse as it is also one of his elves under his rule in question too, so if you were the one to ask for the trade first yo--"

 

"We would have the upper hand." Thorin finishes for her with a sharp grin. "I do not know if it will work but it is defiantly worth a try."

It takes more discussing after that, Dwalin feeling more than proud of Ori for her plan of action and is ready after hours of spending smoothing out a more concrete plan; Thorin was a stubborn dwarf, and his pride alone cost them nearly three hours of talk before Kili had nearly smacked his uncle for making their discussion go around in circles, that he is ready to take Ori to bed for sleep. She was suppose to be home hours ago, her brothers still don't know of their more intimate relationship but Dwalin thinks that he can get her to agree to stay with him this night even with the threat of her brothers knocking over his door. 

And it is on that note that Thorin stands by his side, Ori being distracted by whispering with Fili and Kili--Kili wearing a unbearable large grin and casting glances over at him that Dwalin knows that he has just been told that he is finally going to get his bow and arrow-- that Thorin says to him, "It's too bad you got to her first, I would have liked for her to be for--"

"If ye' so much as finish that sentence," Dwalin scowled at Thorin. "I'll skin ya'." 

\-- (very) SHORT EPILOGUE  
"What news do you bring?" Ori asks, nervous. He can see the many books spread about her as if she couldn't concentrate on just one but needed the distraction of many. 

He takes pause at the doorway to her little room in the library, taking in the sight of her without her ribbons once again--lost in one of the many piles of books she has surrounding her. She had cursed about losing them months ago and has refused to put effort in buying any more as they all seemed to disappear on her. 

"Don't tease, Dwalin," She shouts at him, the nervous energy she is giving off is nearly visible to the naked eye. "Tell me!"

"The king has taken to your plan," he grins at her and she makes as if she's going to hit him but ends up gripping his shirt and pulling him forward into a deep kiss. "A letter is being sent for agreement on such a deal with King Elrond and then, if accepted, in a week's time we take a company of thirteen to Rivendell."

\--END

**Author's Note:**

> I have never read Rosalviva; or The Demon Dwarf, A Romance so what I said about the book was all made up. The title just cracked me up and it sounded like the cheap dime romance novels my mother is always reading. That is to say even that observation could be wrong, so I encourage you—all of you that are interested—to go read it! You can find it on Google books for free: http://books.google.com/books?id=a9MGAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
> 
> That's right, I suggested it was dwarves that came up with the idea of chapstick.
> 
>  
> 
> If you would like to talk to me, I would prefer you contacted me at my tumblr. It's pretty shitty since I don't really do anything with it but somehow I find that I'm always on tumblr, so, yeah might as well message me where I'll definitely always be: sophisticatedkal.tumblr.com
> 
> Thank you for reading, cheers!


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